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October 1999 Shore ReportOCTOBER 1999, vR. M1 ONSTRUCTION OF THE PROJECT TO CLOSE HIGHWAY 7 INTERSECTIONS OF Wood Drive, Pleasant Avenue, Seamans Drive, and Lake Linden Drive (west of the signalized intersection), and to add a right turn lane on Eureka Road will begin on or about September 27, 1999. This work is being undertaken as a joint project of the City and the Minnesota Department of Transportation (Mn/DOT). Additional written notice will be sent to property owners directly affected by the closures. Watch for updates as the project proceeds. Fat! Clean-up Day Is October 30 T HE ANNUAL YARD WASTE DROP -OFF DAY for Shorewood has been established by City Council to be held on Saturday, October 30. Yard waste can be brought to the Public Works parking area at 24200 Smithtown Road between 9:00 A.M. and 4:00 P.M. Grass, leaves and mixed brush will be accepted. All yard waste must be emptied from bags and the bags taken home. Brush and sticks must be bundled with branches smaller than 1 1 /2" in diameter and less than 4' in length. For the residents on Shady and Enchanted Islands, a container will be provided near the corner of Shady Island Circle and Shady Island Road. T HE MINNETONKA AND MOUND/WESTONKA SCHOOL, DISTRICTS will be holding School Board elections on Tuesday, November 2. Minnetonka has 5 vacancies and_,ound/ Westonka has 4 vacancies to fill. If your polling place in a City e16 n has been at the Excelsior Covenant Church, you would vote for school elections at Uxcc f5 or Elementary. All other mainland,tes ck vote at Minnewashta Elementary and'lsliuul resi- dents vote at Mount Olive Lutheran Cl mush. For more information, call 906 -2531for Minnetonka or 491 -8007 for Mound/Westonka. There is not a municipal election this fall in Shorewood. The next openings for mu- nicipal offices will be on the November, 2000 ballot. Information about those vacancies will be published as the election time draws near. .� iiiii'll 1111 IlE : O O O O V O c� G ti O 3 I N ACCORDANCE WITH THE SAFE DRINKING WATER ACT, the City of Shorewood has published a technical monitoring report of the City's municipal water supply in the September 29 edition of the Sun Sailor Newspaper. This technical document is compiled by the Minnesota Depart- ment of Health, and is a report to the consumers of municipal water regarding the levels of all contaminants within the water. This report is for the period of January 1, 1998 to December 31, 1998, and will be conducted on an annual basis. Findings of the report indicate that the City's water supply complies with all of the standards necessary to insure safe drink - ing water for the residents of Shorewood. Since less than 40% of the residents of Shorewood are served by municipal wa- ter, individual reports are not being mailed to each house. However, copies are made avail- able on request. INSIDE Trail Talk ............. 2 Truth In Taxation Hearing 2 Watermain Flushing Schedule 3 Y2k ................. 2 Early Shorewood ....... 3 Community Events ..... 3 Senior Corner ......... 3 Recycle Carpeting ...... 3 Shorewood Map ....... 4 r SHOREWOOD EVENTS S N1 T ' 10./5 7:00 Planning Commission Meeting cc 1 2 10/11 7:00 10/12 7:30 City Council Meeting Park Commission Meeting W 3 10 4 7 1 r f 2 b t3 7 14 8 15 9 16 10/19 7:00 10/25 7:00 10/30 Planning Commission Meeting City Council Meeting Yard Waste Drop -off Day 17 24 31 18 25 1 9 26 20 27 21 28 22 29 23 3U Underlining indicates cablecast of Council meetings —see schedule on page 3. corn F A CIVIC ORGANIZATION YOU ARE INVOLVED IN is planning an upcoming event or meeting, we would like to help you spread the word. In addition to publishing it in this newsletter, we can also add your item to the City calendar of events on Shorewood's web site. Simply call 612- 474 -3236 or e-mail us at cityhall @ci.shorewood.mn.us and give us the specifics. It's justanotherway in which the City's communication efforts can work for you! it rat�'� HE VERY SUCCESSFUL FIRST YEAR Of the Adopt -a- Garden program has provided community color and a friendly welcome to our parks and City Hall! Thanks to the faithful gardeners —Nancy Stebbins, Angie Cole, Lucinda Kircher, Diane Agnew, Karan Newberg, Scott and Theresa Zerby, and Shorewood Park Commissioners. They fought the mos- quitoes and heat, and in some cases the appetites of grazing deer, to keep us in blooms all summer and into the fall. We hope to see the Shorewood gardens con- tinue their growing trend next summer! T In Taxation Hearing Date is Set HF. CITY COUNCIL, WILL HOLD its annual Truth In Taxation Public Hearing on Monday, December 6, 1999 beginning at 7:15 P.M. in the Council Chambers at City Hall. Those in attendance will be given an opportunity to comment or ask questions about the proposed 2000 City budget and proposed tax levy for next year. If necessary, the hearing will be continued on Monday, December 13 at 7:15 P.M Tra Tal P ROGRESS 1S BEING MADE ON THE CITY'S FIRST TWO TRAIL PROJECTS. Design plans for the Vine Hill Road / Covington Road route is in process and bids for con- struction of a trail will be sought in February, 2000. A stretch along Smithtown Road, west of the LRT, is more complex, but will likely be the second trail project undertaken by the City. Currently, the City is exploring rights of way issues and looking into different funding options for the "Smithtown west" segment. The Park Commission and the members of the City Council will walk along Howard's Point Road, Edgewood, and Grant Lorenz with residents on Saturday, October 2 from 9:30 A.M. to 11:30 A.M. The walk is part of a commitment made by the Park Commis- sion to become familiar with the site and discuss neighborhood concerns. Neighbors along those streets will be notified with more details and are encouraged to participate. O NCE AGAIN THE FIRE HYDRANTS IN SHOREWOOD WILL BE OPENED to flush out accumulated minerals in the watermains. It is helpful for residents to know when to anticipate this work so that the possible effects on your own water system are not a surprise. This is the tentative plan: Boulder Bridge – Shorewood Oaks – Badger October 12 through 22 Waterford SE area October 25 through November 5 Woodhaven– Amesbury November 8 through 12 To avoid drawing discolored water into your home's system, the City requests that you refrain from major water usage activities during this time. After flushing is com- pleted in your area, let the cold water taps (preferably outside faucets) run until the discoloration is cleared from your individual service lines. It is especially recommended that you check for water clarity prior to doing laundry. If you have questions before or during this process call Munitec, the City's water management company at 472 -2718. Words on Y2 C HIEF OF POLICE for the South Lake Minnetonka ; Public Safety Department, Bryan Litsey, is also the Emergency Management Director for the cities of Excelsior, Greenwood, Shorewood and Tonka Bay. In that capacity, he is re- sponsible for emergency preparedness on a local level as well as coordinating these efforts with the county, state and federal levels. Of course, the Y2k issue has been in the forefront of concern for Emergency Management Personnel as the year 2000 rapidly approaches. Chief Litsey offers this information: The cities in the South Lake area have taken this matter seriously and have ad- dressed the Y2k issue by going through internal audits and taking corrective ac- tion when warranted. The police depart- ment has also gone through this same process and recently installed new Y2k compliant computer hardware and soft- ware. The 911 system that routes calls to the squads through Hennepin County Dis- patch has also been going through testing and is expected to operate properly. From an emergency preparedness per- spective, one of the good things that has come about as a result of Y2k has been the increased public awareness about the need to plan ahead, whether it be for Y2k or a natural disaster such as a tornado. Far too often thoughts about planning for such events come about after the fact rather than beforehand. The purpose of this article is not to minimize the potential impact of Y2k, but rather, to encourage people to stay informed and take a common sense ap- proach to planning for the year 2000. Panic based upon rumors and inaccurate information could present as much or even more of a problem than Y2k itself. Therefore, people need to remain current on Y2k issues through credible sources and base their planning accordingly. Information contained in this communication relates to the City of Shorewood's Year 2000 efforts. The disclo- sure of this information is intended to serve as a Year 2000 Readiness Disclosure under the Year 2000 Information and Readiness Disclosure Act, Public Law 105 -271. THE SHORE REPORT/ OCTOBER 1 999 2 Farly Shorewood In Those Days This is an account, recorded from a May, 1999 visit with Mr. W. Dudley Kendrick, the first Mayor of the City of Shorewood. The 91- year -old drove to City Hall to share some history and memories of times which most of us can barely imagine —times he often called "In those days. " M R. KENDRICK HAS BEEN AN AREA RESIDENT SINCE 1930. Following the stock market crash of 1929, his fam- ily moved from Minneapolis to the Murray Hill area of Excelsior Town - ship—at a time when moving "out to the country" was an affordable option. Mr. Kendrick recalls that their property tax for 7 acres was approximately $25 for the first year. Some time in the mid- 1940's, Mr. Kendrick was asked to run for the posi- tion of Town Clerk for the Excelsior Township. In that role, he kept records of the meetings and oversaw the dis- bursement of money. The "town hall" was a simple concrete block building near Galpin Lake Road and Mayflower and served double duty as a garage for equipment repair and an office. Records of births, deaths and other pertinent things were kept in the office in a large safe. The building was quite small, so monthly meetings (and occasional spe- cial meetings) took place in the homes of various board members. The Excelsior Township originally consisted of what is now Excelsior, Tonka Bay, Casco Point, a few islands and portion of Big Island, Deephaven, Greenwood and Shorewood. As each of those communities became villages, the borders of the unincorporated township gradually eroded. The stretch of land, which is now Shorewood, was at risk of becoming split into two parts as the Vil- lage of Excelsior considered expansion to the southern border of Hennepin County. So in 1956 Shorewood became a village, declaring its boundaries from what remained of the township area. According to Mr. Kendrick, two of the other names considered for the new vil- lage were "Ivanhoe" and "Hiawatha." This is the first in a series of articles. Watch for more in future issues. Community Events Free Perennial Exchange Bring some perennials from your gar- den and trade for other varieties of plants at a free perennial exchange on Satur- day, October 9. Meet other gardeners at the Minnewashta Elementary School parking lot between 8:30 and 10:00 A.M. If you have questions, call Pat (474 -5726) or Lucinda (470- 7824). Rake -a -Thon The a gl 16mka Rake -A -Thon will. be on Sataday,'October 0. Teams of Rt families, org zations, , Ident groups and individuals are coordinated to rake leaves fors ors and disabled residents. If you would like tom - one o e com- munity volun" pleas ,. 1401 -6839. Fire Safety Open House As part of Fire Prevention Week, the Excelsior Fire Department will be hold- ing an Open House at their fire station on Thursday, October 7 from 6:00 to 8:30 P.M. Everyone in the community is invited to the event which features fun and educational displays and activities for all ages. The focus is on prevention of fires, as well as reaction to fires (i.e. how to escape safely). Visit the Fire Safety House, check out the ABRA Auto Body air bag demonstration and spray a real fire hose. And if you've attended before, it's okay— review is a good thing in the case of safety. F INALLY, THERE IS A CONVENIENT, more planet- friendly way to dispose of un- wanted carpet and pad! Carpet Recovery Innovation handles take -up and disposal of used carpet and padding. They will pick -up the rolled carpet and pad (for both commercial and residential properties) and, for an additional fee, they can pull up the carpet and padding from the floor surface and prepare it for removal. Now that's con- venient ... but here is the really good news! They will then deliver the carpet and pad for a new program in Minnesota called Carpet Reusable. This is a chari- table organization (non - profit) which restores the usable carpet and pad, and then distributes it to situations of need. They will mail back a certificate of value for the amount of carpet and/or padding that was recovered for a tax deduction. For more information, contact Carpe Recovery Innovation at (612)441- 8300. City Council meetings can be seen on Cable Channel 8 at the following times: September 27 Meeting Friday, October 8 at 1:30 P.M. October 11 Meeting Tuesday, October 12 at 5:30 P.M. Friday, October 22 at 1:30 P.M. October 25 Meeting Tuesday, October 26 at 5:30 P.M. Senior Corner' A Tonka Rake -a -Thon All senior residents of the Minnetonka School District are eligible for this free leaf - raking service, which is scheduled for Saturday, October 30. Annual Fall Boutique November 5 -7 Plan ahead to come to the Center to buy gifts, baked goods and attic treasures. This fund - raising event also offers a Sloppy Joe Lunch on the 5th and 6th at Noon, and a chicken dinner on Sunday, the 7th from 11:00 A.M. to 1:00 P.M. Tickets for meals will be on sale at the door. Get Ready for Flu Season Flu shots will be given at the Center on Monday, October 25 from 12:30 to 2:00 P.M. The vaccine will be available without cost for seniors who present their Medicare and Insurance card. For adults under age 65, the cost is $5. The Southshore Center is located at 5735 Country Club Road. Office hours are 8:30 A.M. to 4:00 P.M. For more information on programs, building rental, transportation and any senior issues, or to register for any of the above activities, call the Center at 474 -7635. 3 THE SHORE DEPORT I OCTOBER 1999 g ,. C% p ......;. W vba 64 6 f. ... Why W on ' t D: AT PLA These items are on the October 5 Planning Commission Agenda: 7 The Shorewood Village Center, located at 23680 Highway 7 (Highways 41 &7) is currently remodeling the ex- terior of the shopping center which will include new signs for their tenants. A conditional use permit is being requested to allow the multiple signage at this site. Apublic hearing is scheduled for 7:00 P.m. 2 The property owner of 20445 Radisson Road is requesting approval of a lot line rearrangement with the ad- jacent neighbor. A public hearing is not required for this application. E E H ri 'E REQUEST OFTEN HEARD AT CITY HALL, relates to the posting of generalized 1 - 1 warning signs such as "SLOW— CHILDREN AT PLAY" or other similar mes- sages. Parental concerns for the safety of children often prompt these requests. There are several of these signs which wee installed in the City of Shorewood in years past. Some of these signs''sti l l remain Once knocked down or damaged in any manner, these signs will be promptly rernovetl:, Municipalities, such as Shorewood, are tnandatdd,,,to abide by the Minnesota Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices`NNIUTC'ID), This document dictates the recognized signsrthe directing of traffic, pedestrians. construction traffic, or informational signs,along public roadways. It is prepared by the federal and state agencies, and is utilized as the standard in any court proeveding as the acceptable method of directing or warning motorists or pedestrian:Q:� The Federal and State Traffic Departments have Mated that "Children at Play" signs provide parents and children a false sense of s00"curity. Both parents and children are led to believe that they have an added degree of protection, which signs can not provide. Furthermore, the sign has not heft "included in the MMUTCD, as it en- courages children to play in the street. Due to the serious nature of this issue, federal, state, and local agencies have rejected these signs for installation, as it is a direct and open suggestion that children playing in the street is acceptable. CITY OF SHOREWOOD 5755 COUNTRY CLUB ROAD SHOR WOOD, Mai 55331 (612)474.3236 N FAX (612)474.0128 Monday - Friday 8:00 A.e�. to 4:30 P,&,i, DELIVER TO: Council Members Woody Love, Mayor Kristi Stover John Garfunkel Christine Lizde Scott Zerby Administrator James C. Hurm Newsletter Editor: Connie Bastyr THE SHORE REPORT OCTOBER 1999 BULK RATE U.S. POSTAGE PAID PERMIT #123 EXCELSIOR, MN 55331 "'`< This newsletter is printed on recycled paper.